登陆注册
5382300000053

第53章 CHAPTER VIII(2)

Ivan was not easily disconcerted, but for once he looked puzzled, and stared at me vacantly. When I endeavoured to explain to him my question, he simply knitted his brows and scratched the back of his head. This latter movement is the Russian peasant's method of accelerating cerebral action; but in the present instance it had no practical result. In spite of his efforts, Ivan could not get much further than the "Kak vam skazat'?" that is to say, "How am I to tell you?"

It was not difficult to perceive that I had adopted an utterly false method of investigation, and a moment's reflection sufficed to show me the absurdity of my question. I had asked from an uneducated man a philosophical definition, instead of extracting from him material in the form of concrete facts, and constructing therefrom a definition for myself. These concrete facts Ivan was both able and willing to supply; and as soon as I adopted a rational mode of questioning, I obtained from him all I wanted.

The information he gave me, together with the results of much subsequent conversation and reading, I now propose to present to the reader in my own words.

The peasant family of the old type is, as we have just seen, a kind of primitive association in which the members have nearly all things in common. The village may be roughly described as a primitive association on a larger scale.

Between these two social units there are many points of analogy.

In both there are common interests and common responsibilities. In both there is a principal personage, who is in a certain sense ruler within and representative as regards the outside world: in the one case called Khozain, or Head of the Household, and in the other Starosta, or Village Elder. In both the authority of the ruler is limited: in the one case by the adult members of the family, and in the other by the Heads of Households. In both there is a certain amount of common property: in the one case the house and nearly all that it contains, and in the other the arable land and possibly a little pasturage. In both cases there is a certain amount of common responsibility: in the one case for all the debts, and in the other for all the taxes and Communal obligations. And both are protected to a certain extent against the ordinary legal consequences of insolvency, for the family cannot be deprived of its house or necessary agricultural implements, and the Commune cannot be deprived of its land, by importunate creditors.

On the other hand, there are many important points of contrast. The Commune is, of course, much larger than the family, and the mutual relations of its members are by no means so closely interwoven.

The members of a family all farm together, and those of them who earn money from other sources are expected to put their savings into the common purse; whilst the households composing a Commune farm independently, and pay into the common treasury only a certain fixed sum.

From these brief remarks the reader will at once perceive that a Russian village is something very different from a village in our sense of the term, and that the villagers are bound together by ties quite unknown to the English rural population. A family living in an English village has little reason to take an interest in the affairs of its neighbours. The isolation of the individual families is never quite perfect, for man, being a social animal, takes necessarily a certain interest in the affairs of those around him, and this social duty is sometimes fulfilled by the weaker sex with more zeal than is absolutely indispensable for the public welfare; but families may live for many years in the same village without ever becoming conscious of common interests. So long as the Jones family do not commit any culpable breach of public order, such as putting obstructions on the highway or habitually setting their house on fire, their neighbour Brown takes probably no interest in their affairs, and has no ground for interfering with their perfect liberty of action. Amongst the families composing a Russian village, such a state of isolation is impossible. The Heads of Households must often meet together and consult in the Village Assembly, and their daily occupation must be influenced by the Communal decrees. They cannot begin to mow the hay or plough the fallow field until the Village Assembly has passed a resolution on the subject. If a peasant becomes a drunkard, or takes some equally efficient means to become insolvent, every family in the village has a right to complain, not merely in the interests of public morality, but from selfish motives, because all the families are collectively responsible for his taxes. For the same reason no peasant can permanently leave the village without the consent of the Commune, and this consent will not be granted until the applicant gives satisfactory security for the fulfilment of his actual and future liabilities. If a peasant wishes to go away for a short time, in order to work elsewhere, he must obtain a written permission, which serves him as a passport during his absence; and he may be recalled at any moment by a Communal decree. In reality he is rarely recalled so long as he sends home regularly the full amount of his taxes--including the dues which he has to pay for the temporary passport--but sometimes the Commune uses the power of recall for purposes of extortion. If it becomes known, for instance, that an absent member is receiving a good salary or otherwise making money, he may one day receive a formal order to return at once to his native village, but he is probably informed at the same time, unofficially, that his presence will be dispensed with if he will send to the Commune a certain specified sum. The money thus sent is generally used by the Commune for convivial purposes. **

同类推荐
  • 无住词

    无住词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 皇明异典述

    皇明异典述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 新修本草

    新修本草

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Federalist Papers

    The Federalist Papers

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 使辽语录

    使辽语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 途中口号

    途中口号

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 技术

    技术

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 网球之中国时代

    网球之中国时代

    足以改变整个世界网球球坛的天才少年突然销声匿迹,当中国网球球坛收到巨大威胁时,他又出现在人们的眼中,这一次,却打开了中国球坛的时代
  • 卯初记

    卯初记

    当今的荣辱标准多元化了,奢华的、神秘的、古怪的,不一而足。我觉得用德国双立人锅也好,背两个LV也好,都没什么不好。接近大自然更好,比如步行与骑自行车。我在德国的斯图加特生活过一个月,没见德国人戴欧米加表,背LV包,他们的穿戴比道义乡的农民还朴实,而他们最羡慕那些跑步与骑自行车的人。出席聚会如果哪个人开了汽车来,他会向大家道歉,说怕迟到,才开了车。一个人开一辆车在德国会受人白眼,有如举止乖张,违背了环境伦理。德国人都像老子的信徒喜欢自然的,不矫饰的生活。
  • 妖女追夫:独宠天才巫医

    妖女追夫:独宠天才巫医

    腹黑魔少?死开死开,本姑娘名花有主了。搞怪大叔?别凑热闹,哪儿凉快哪儿待着去。冷面暖男?我是妖女,你hold不住。美男们消停会儿吧,本姑娘志在玩虫炼神丹。那个谁?阿唷,相公,你别走啊!等我拍死这群苍蝇,就带你回家!对了,我其实很温柔!真的很温柔!不让走?恩哼!关门!放巴拉!给姑奶奶直接吞……
  • 潮汕商人赚钱全凭真本事

    潮汕商人赚钱全凭真本事

    潮汕人以敢拼敢闯、勤劳、聪明、善于经营闻名于世,先于温州人享有“中国的犹太人”之美誉。潮商赚钱全凭真本事——◎潮商奉行“商者无域”——走到哪里就把生意做到哪里,他们是商场上的“世界公民”◎潮商既善于创富,又懂得持家——他们富过三代◎潮商百炼成钢,百炼成金——他们从底层历练,经历了从打工到老板的过程……◎海外潮商传承了祖辈的经营哲学——成功后不衣锦还乡,继续投资产业《世界潮商》杂志总编辑、北京潮人商会会长张善德说:“潮商是继晋商、徽商之后,在中国近、现代史上最具影响力和生命力的著名商帮。有人说潮商退潮,辉煌不再,那是不了解潮商的历史,也不了解潮商的真实现状。”本书全景展现潮商起家、兴盛及发展的过程,全面解读全球潮商赚钱的绝招。研究潮商,洞悉他们把经商延续500年的生意经;学习潮商,掌握他们把生意做到世界各地的独家秘籍!
  • 重生希特拉奥特曼

    重生希特拉奥特曼

    重生为希特拉奥特曼,开始保卫地球。但是没有想到的是,自己的旅程才刚刚开始……(以进入重写状态)
  • 康熙:喋血1721

    康熙:喋血1721

    《康熙1721台湾喋血记》 作者简介: 黄明军,笔名南山石,一级警督;二级拳师;任过武警部队作训参谋、机动中队长和警界政工科长、派出所长、治安大队长、经侦大队长以及市青年文协理事、武术协会副主席等职。现任江西九江市公安局浔阳分局科长、一级警督。联系电话:(手机)1360792......
  • 云峰体宗宁禅师语录

    云峰体宗宁禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 冷酷战神大辽王妃

    冷酷战神大辽王妃

    一曲远古凄美的爱情悲歌!一位颠国女子泣血而书的血色山河!周旋在两名帝王之间可歌可泣的悲壮人寰!第一部————————她是名将遗孤,绝世红颜,冰雪聪明,也是先王临终前钦定的七王妃;他是战功显赫的大宋王爷却被迫娶了自已最厌恶的人;他是大辽万人景仰的‘战神’,一生只有一个女人;妾妃的陷害,满门蒙冤!丈夫的冷眼,最终将她的一生当做贡品送到敌军手中。痴心在痛恨中被肆虐;屈辱在苟且偷生中暴发,倾世美貌,顾盼神飞,一笑倾城,二笑颠国!迎风而立站在高处,三千青丝迎风扬展向云海飞扬,指点大军杀向将自已推下火坑的仇人,血染红了山河,也染红了她的双眼!当他追悔莫及,再次将她拥入怀时,她淡然一笑,平静无波:“闵,错过了就是错过了”!本文的女主并非软弱之辈,为了报血海深仇,将会做出一些为达目的不折手段的事情甚至牵扯到民族的大义,不过并不是盲目无分寸.与天真单纯的少年时代很有出入.请大家不要在乎女主的转变,投出您支持的一票,为麟儿的独立喝彩吧!呵^-^!^_^!!!!也为偶喝彩!!!!!!在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《大辽王妃:战神王爷好冷酷》